Do blind people create mental images for themselves? If so, what are the like?

I am currently a care worker, and through experience working with blind people, I have found that they can see shapes and shadows. If a blind person has there own house/room, through time they will be able to know where everything is in that particular room, the same as any place visited regularly, they will realize that the tables on the right by the door etc. they also use white sticks and sometimes dogs as you may know. The white stick is usually used to point out to the blind person any abnormalities in the ground they are walking on such as steps, bumps etc. guide dogs are used to guide the blind person, to increase independence.